Ducks
by selena8liu
Summary: This is a series of short (by short I mean really short) stories about a certain Jace Herondale's experiences with ducks at different ages. Enjoy!


"Come on, Jace," Isabelle said to her adoptive brother. "It's your birthday today, but that doesn't mean you can sleep all day. We still have to celebrate, according to Mom. Something about 'tradition' and 'morale'."

"Sure," groaned Jace against his pillow. "I'll be up... soon."

"Whatever you say," said a skeptical Isabelle.

True to his word (although surprisingly), Jace arrived in the Institute kitchen twenty minutes later.

Maryse Lightwood was making pancakes, while Isabelle (whom, for some reason, her mother had insisted stay away from the cooking) tried to stop a struggling Max from running everywhere.

From behind them came the sound of footsteps, and Robert walked into the room, followed by Alec, who was rubbing his eyes blearily.

"Here you go," said Maryse, who had just finished with the pancakes. She whisked the plates onto the table.

Jace, who was already famished, grabbed a fork.

"Not so fast," his adoptive mother chastised. "First, we have to properly acknowledge our birthday." Jace groaned, but he didn't argue, not wanting to wait any longer than he had to in order to eat his pancakes-his favorite.

Someone behind him snapped his fingers, and the lights turned off. In the middle of his pancakes there appeared a candle. With another snap, the candle lit up. Jace turned to see who it was. Magnus Bane, High Warlock of New York, stood behind him. He winked at Jace, who rolled his eyes and turned back around.

"And now, we have to sing you a birthday song."

Jace rolled his eyes again, but he said nothing, knowing it was pointless to object.

_"Happy birthday to you,_

_Happy birthday to you,_

_Happy birthday dear Jace,_

_Happy birthday to you."_

"Make a wish!" chirped Max.

_Give me a happy ending_, he thought, sending it to whoever was out there-not that they'd care-, then took a breath and blew out the candle. He tried his best to appear bored, but secretly he was touched that they had done all of this for him.

"You're officially fourteen now!" Isabelle cried.

"_Now_ you can eat," Maryse said, smiling.

Gratefully Jace dug into his food, and everyone else sat down and began to eat as well.

* * *

Once everyone was done and the mess Max had made was cleaned up, Isabelle smiled mischievously. "It's time for presents!" she said.

"Presents!" echoed Max, clapping his hands.

One by one, Jace ripped open his presents with a dagger, revealing a brand-new stele from Robert, piano sheet music from Maryse, a dagger made of _adamas_ from Alec, and a hand-drawn card that was messily signed "Max Lightwood." Only Isabelle's gift was left, which she presented to him with a mischievous glint in her eye. He cut open the gold wrapping paper to reveal-

A duck.

It was just a toy duck, but real or not, Jace still adamantly believed the animals to be inherently evil creatures. It was bright yellow and made of cloth with a button on it that said, "Try me!"

He stared up in disbelief at Isabelle.

"What in the Angel's name-ducks-foul creatures-evil-demonic-" Jace spluttered, looking at Izzy, who was obviously trying not to laugh.

"Isabelle!" her mother chastised. "You _know_ how Jace feels about ducks!"

"But Mom," Izzy said, "I was looking for a present, and suddenly this caught my eye in a mundane shop, and I knew I just _had _to get it. See, look-it even does this-" and she lunged over to press the "try me!" button. Immediately the duck whirred to life and sang to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle" with "quacks" instead of actual words. Its mechanical wings waved up and down as it sang.

Jace almost dropped it in surprise.

Maryse sighed. "Isabelle, however amusing _you_ think this is, Jace obviously doesn't appreciate it. Say sorry to your brother."

Isabelle sighed, a sound remarkably like her mother's. "Sorry, Jace."

"Good," her mother said and stood up to leave.

"I got you, didn't I?" Izzy whispered.

Jace rolled his eyes. He would get her back for this. Perhaps some temporary hair dye in her shampoo would do the trick...

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**


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